Mental Health
by Sandy Lee Agnolon & Mihaela
Hey there!
Mihaela and Sandy here, bringing you the inside scoop straight from the halls of our high school! We've snagged interviews with two of our amazing school counselors, Fiammetta and Emma Buckley. They've dished out some seriously savvy advice on navigating tricky situations and keeping those vibes positive. So buckle up, because we're about to drop some knowledge bombs that'll help you conquer any challenge and keep that sunny attitude shining bright in today's crazy world!
Fiammetta's answers:
-Can you share examples of successful strategies that help students overcome challenges related to studying and stress?
Break tasks into manageable steps: Students should tackle large tasks by breaking them down into smaller, achievable goals/tasks.
Allocate time needed for each mini-task and then add more time if you underestimated it.
Create to-do lists of your school and life tasks or activities (study plan, assessment log, etc.). To-do lists help us organize and plan our work but also give us feelings of 'reward' and 'accomplishment' as we tick off an accomplished task.
Look for help: Students should feel comfortable asking for help and support from peers and teachers.
-Can you share examples of successful strategies that help students overcome mental health challenges in general?
Care for your body with exercise, sleep, and nutrition.
Join a community, avoid isolation, get involved in clubs or group activities, indoors and outdoors.
Find your preferred strategies to manage stress: mindfulness, journaling, drawing, music, sport... anything that makes you feel better and recharged.
Balance is the key: study and fun, alone time and socialization, activities and relaxation...
Get help: If you feel overwhelmed, find support.
-What precautions do you usually take when talking with students, making sure that the chat is positive and effective?
Atmosphere of trust: Students should feel comfortable expressing themselves without fear of judgment.
Listen attentively to students' concerns and validate their feelings before giving them feedback.
In my feedback, I underline strengths and successes, and it is important to highlight areas for improvement while also acknowledging efforts.
I talk about confidentiality and its limits in my role at school.
-What are your thoughts on a student's confidence?
If you mean confidence as in what the students are telling me, I am trained not to "think" in terms of judgments or critics. So first, I try to understand the emotions and the feelings the person is expressing in order to be able to empathize. I ask open questions which might help to get in-depth or to make the student reflect on his situation, so we can work together in finding the best solution or the next steps when needed.
-How do you effectively handle criticism?
Remain calm and objective, as the criticism says something about behavior, not about a person's value.
Try to reflect on feedback to check if you can learn from it, instead of taking it personally.
Thank the person for giving you that feedback as it is a chance for you to grow.
-How would you de-escalate a fight with someone?
Pause (breathe) and remain calm, avoid escalating the situation with strong emotional reactions.
Try to understand both sides and find common ground to help diffuse tension and foster reconciliation.
Look for solutions, collaborate with those involved to find a way to get to a "win-win" ending.
Emma Buckley's answers:
-Can you share examples of successful strategies that help students overcome challenges?
Organize what they're doing, mind maps, giving extra time or changing position in the class, have 1 to 1.
-What precautions do you usually take when talking with students, making sure that the chat is positive and effective?
I give positive feedback to corrections because I can show that a mistake doesn't have to be negative. It's all about perspective. Showing someone their mistake and guiding them to correcting it themselves with my help is more productive than only focusing on the negatives of a mistake. If we don't make mistakes, we cannot learn!
-What are your thoughts on a student's confidence?
I believe everyone can achieve what they want, no matter how hard it is. Our goal is to show students HOW to get there, by teaching them to think critically. This has a positive effect on their confidence to overcome obstacles, and when I see a student feel good about achieving something, no matter how small, it's the best feeling ever!
-How do you effectively handle criticism?
Criticism depends on the giver and how it's delivered. Criticism can be taken positively if the person who has given it does so in the right way. It's all about communication. When there is doubt and it isn't addressed, criticism can be difficult to deal with.
-How would you de-escalate a fight with someone?
I would separate the people immediately, calmly. There doesn't need to be shouting or similar behavior to match those who may be having a fight.